Growing trunks healing scars

[RichKid]

I have a Japanese maple currently in my grow bed I'm growing out the next section of trunk. I've cut it and the leader has grown this season. Question is what do I do at the cut now to help the tree transition smoothly and heal over the cut?

 

[RichKid]

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Sure, cut here...

 

[Smoke]

That will make a better transition, but will ruin the tree for any branches on the outside of that direction change. I keep the wood there for at least a couple years for a bud. If no bud I have viable wood to graft one on. Shave it off and a branch there is gone forever.

Good luck with your tree.

 

[Giga]

That will make a better transition, but will ruin the tree for any branches on the outside of that direction change. I keep the wood there for at least a couple years for a bud. If no bud I have viable wood to graft one on. Shave it off and a branch there is gone forever.

Good luck with your tree.

Or let it fully heal since it young, then tread graft, at least that's what I would do. That way if I want a branch, I can, a better translation with the new trunk, and it already healed too. Lots of options!

 

[RichKid]

Thanks for the opinions guys. Brian it looks as if cutting so drastically vertically will make and even bigger scar. I won't question your expertise though your trees speak for themselves. I do want the option like Smoke said of having potential branches grow there however. It appears as if there may already be buds trying to break in that vicinity. Will letting all then buds that pop in that area grow help it heal faster or should I take off all the competing buds that break near the new leader? In your experiences how long does it normally take for a scar like that to heal?

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

The question is how to let it heal smoothly. The callus will not turn around the corner and be smooth after it. Follow Brian...

 

[Paulpash]

A diagonal cut (like Brian's line) will smooth the transition from thick to thin. Also you will get to practice grafting which is an invaluable skill in bonsai and on maples it is fairly easy as they fuse readily.

Brian's post from his blog will be useful here about healing a chop point on a maple - please read and you can see the results:
https://nebaribonsai.wordpress.com/2015/01/17/cleaning-up-a-wound/

The only thing I'll add is letting the leader grow will accelerate healing.

 

[Maros]

Thanks for the opinions guys. Brian it looks as if cutting so drastically vertically will make and even bigger scar. I won't question your expertise though your trees speak for themselves. I do want the option like Smoke said of having potential branches grow there however. It appears as if there may already be buds trying to break in that vicinity. Will letting all then buds that pop in that area grow help it heal faster or should I take off all the competing buds that break near the new leader? In your experiences how long does it normally take for a scar like that to heal?

No growth below the cut will help healing it. Only massive foliage above cut will help, more foliage will speed up healing process.

 

[sorce]

No growth below the cut will help healing it.

This might make (some) people take the growth off the bottom.

Growth below the cut is ok,
But it won't help heal the cut,
Only foliage above the cut heals it.

Massive amounts.

It's just a language thing I beleive!
And I'm being very particular today!

Sorce

 

[Maros]

This might make (some) people take the growth off the bottom.

Growth below the cut is ok,
But it won't help heal the cut,
Only foliage above the cut heals it.

Massive amounts.

It's just a language thing I beleive!
And I'm being very particular today!

Sorce

Thanks for correcting. That's what I had in mind. ;-)

 

[sorce]

Thanks for correcting. That's what I had in mind. ;-)

Sorry for ragging on you, but some genius American will go out and cut all their low branches! Lol.

Even simple people should be able to enjoy bonsai!

Sorce

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

Sorry for ragging on you, but some genius American will go out and cut all their low branches! Lol.

Even simple people should be able to enjoy bonsai!

Sorce

Lucky me...

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Here is an example of two cut angles, angled after 2-3 years (yellow), and straight across after 1 year (blue). You can see that leaving the blue cut as is will create a bulge to contend with later.

I basically cut straight across, allow new shoots to develop, and then later choose which resulting shoot makes the best continued trunk line (red to direct it left or pink to direct right).

 

[RichKid]

Thanks Maros, Sorce I understood what he meant but I could see how someone could misconstrue that post. Lol. Brian thanks for taking the time to clarify and demonstrate. I guess if I have two years to wait I should be able to make a decision by then and figure where I want to go with it.

 

[Eric Group]

No growth below the cut will help healing it. Only massive foliage above cut will help, more foliage will speed up healing process.

I have found that growth DIRECTLY below a big scar can help a little... If you have a big cut with a branch just above AND just below it, you get a little more swelling at the bottom of the scar and the movement of sap from the lower branch to the top seems to help cover the hole a little faster. Just my experience...

 

[peterbone]

It looks like it's not died back much. You could do a diagonal cut like Brian said, but fold the existing living cambium and bark over the wound and hold it there where it will hopefully heal over much more quickly. This requires some carving and delicate surgery.

http://ofbonsai.org/techniques/styles-and-styling/the-van-meer-technique

 

[ColinFraser]

I have found that growth DIRECTLY below a big scar can help a little... If you have a big cut with a branch just above AND just below it, you get a little more swelling at the bottom of the scar and the movement of sap from the lower branch to the top seems to help cover the hole a little faster. Just my experience...

I think a bud/branch below a chop like that can also prevent dieback from creeping down the trunk.

 

[Eric Group]

It looks like it's not died back much. You could do a diagonal cut like Brian said, but fold the existing living cambium and bark over the wound and hold it there where it will hopefully heal over much more quickly. This requires some carving and delicate surgery.

http://ofbonsai.org/techniques/styles-and-styling/the-van-meer-technique

I have healed wounds this size in less than one full growing season! I don't see the need to do that on a JM of this size

 

[peterbone]

I have healed wounds this size in less than one full growing season! I don't see the need to do that on a JM of this size

Because you don't lose anything by trying and it could result in it healing over in a matter of weeks. The resulting scar would also be less noticeable.